Game



March 6, 1928.

, s. A. HELFGoT'r GAME Filed Aug. 6, 1'92'7 PLA Y BALL SAMUEL A. Hau-GOTT Patented Mar. 6, 1928.

SAMUEL A. `HELIiCirO'Zl'Pl, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

GAME.

Application Afiled August 6, 1927. `Serial No. 211,057.

, This invention is a gaine adapted to be played upon a playing board similar in some respects to a checker board,`but embodying an entirely different number ot' spaces andl with more spaces in one direction than the other. A

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and compact construction on which the game of baseball can be iiguratively played and to provide a gaine which will constitute a pleasant and interest-ing pastime.

The board on which the game isV played isy laid o'tf in alternate squares ot contrasting colors, said board being rectangular in contour. There are nine rows ot squares entending longitudinally of j the" board'and more than nine rows of squares, ypreferably twelve, extending transversely of t-he board.

(lne end of the board is designated At bat and the other end ot the board At iield and the four rows ot 'squares next adjacent the nt field end of the board are designated Buns, Third base, Second base, First base", with Runs between At field and Third base, and Third base between Runs and Second base, and Second base between Third base and First base and "First base between Second base and award row. Arrows may be associated withA these legends to more clearly designate the rows in question. The next adjacent transverse ro f may be referred to as the award row, since upon the spaces thereof are designated such legends as Base on errors, Single, Triple, Home run, etc.,- although one or more ot'A these spaces may be marked to constitute a penalty or Gut This award row is neXt adjacent the irstY base row of squares.

Thoughout the surface ot the board, certain spaces are furthermore marked to sig` nity penalties, e. `g. Out or Out on fly, or other appropriate terminology usedv in baseball language.

The gaine is played with eighteen checks or nien which may, it desired, be of the same character as are used in playing checkers, pachisi or the like and they arek moved over the board in a manner hereinafter more fully described.

Features of the invention, other than those Specified, will be apparent from the herein- -number is, however, )ieferably more nine in order that a proper defense may bey after detailed description and claims, when read in conjunction with the accompanying i drawing.

The accompanying dra-wing illustrates one practical embodiment of the invention, but

the construction therein shownis to be understood asillustrative, only, and not as deiining the limits or" the invention. l

The drawing shows tlie'gamecof the pres'- ent invention slightly in perspective. l

The drawing shows a game board otsubstantially rectangular contour. The central' portion of the board is laid out withafseries of squares, there being 12 transverse rows ot squares designated by the ret'erence` char-` acters l, 2, 3, ,5, 6, 7, 8, 9,10, 1l and 12 and nine longitudinal rows of squaresdesignated 1.3, 14, 15, 1G, 17, 18, 19, 2O and 2li respec-v tively. I p

The transversely extending rows are shown as twelve in number as` this mathematically works out the best with relation to the moves involved in the playing ot the gaine, although a greater or lesser number oit transverse rows may be employed.` This set up by the defending team as will liereirafter be apparent. The squares ofthe several rows are alternately of contrasting colors and, in practice, these alternate squares may, for example, be black and white. At one end of the board adjacent the transverse row l, is the legend Atbat and at the other end ofthe board and similarly placed, and adjacent the transverse row 12, is the legend At iield. j A line of spaces 12' which is jacent the latter legend is designated along `opposite lateral sides ot the board by the legends Runs. Similarly, the rows 1,1, 1()

and 9 are designated Third base, Second base and First base, respectively. Arrows 22 and 22 preterably in colors contrasting to the surface of the board are ein# j ployed in coiijuction with these legends and point to the lrows ot spaces to which the legends refer. Opposite the` row 2 are simi-v lar arrows 23 and 23 on which are contained the legend Play ball. It will be noted thatthe legends on the Varrows 22 and 23 are readable troni the At bat end. ofthe board,

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while the legends on the arrows 22 and 22S' are readable from the At field end of the board. y

The row designated 8, which is adjacent first base, is the so-called award row. The spaces of this row bear legends such as Base on errors. Single, Triple, Home run, Double, etc. A suitable picture such as the representation of a baseball may also be shown upon these spaces. Other` spaces through the board bearlegends appropriate to penalties, such as Out on ily", Out on sacrifice. and the like. These spaces may contain a suitable picture such as the representation of cross bats as shown. Moreover additional spaces ol the rows 3 to T inclusive bear the legends Balls and Strikesf7 respectively. All of these legends are duplicated in reversed relation so as to be readable from the both sides of the board.

The directions for playing the game are preferably printed at the right and lett sides of the board as noted in reverse direction so that they can be read respectively from the opposite ends of the boa rd.

In playing the game, 18 checks or melf7 are employed as there are nine players on a side in baseball. The checks X are appropriate to the team'at bat and the checks Y are appropriate to the team in the field. The nine men X at batV line up in the row l adjacentI legend At bat with one man on each square and the men at iield Y line up at the other end of the board in the row 1.2 adjacent the legend At field, so that the two end rows 1 and l2 each contain one man per square.

The men X at bat start the gaine by 1noving a man X one square forwardly in a diagonal direction as in checkers and the men Y at field respond in the same manner. The team at bat or team at lield can bring more than one man into play at any time thereafter. rlhe moves ot the respective sides or teams being alternate as the inning is continued. Each player oi' the game has the option as to which man shall be played so that the players of the game stand in substantially the same position as the manager of a team on the players bench in the game of baseball. In other words, the men are moved in accordance with theY carefullyv thought out plan of the manager-players.

The men at field may occupy any square, but men at batcan occupy safe squares only and should this man or men enter other squares (designated by cross bats) they are to be removed from board. Y Jumping or skip# ping is obligatory and all men skipped or jumped shall also be removed from board as in checkers. KWh'en three men of team at. bat are removed from board, it constitutes 3 Outs The board is re-set and opposingr team goes to bat. The game is thus coni tinued for nine innings or more if necessary,

as in baseball. lVhen in the process of jumping or skipping more than one man, should man at bat encounter a penalty square (marked by cross bats), he ceases jumping or skipping and is removed from the board. Removing man from board does not constitute a move.

When men at bat enter award squares entitling them to one or more bases they cannot be jumped or skipped, but shall be placed on any safe square on corresponding base. If any space of the appropriate base or other is already occupied, the man or men thereon advance accordingly. Placinpr of men on appropriate bases does not constitute a move. More than one man cannot occupy any oin-` of the bases at the same time,` any more than they can in the game of baseball as played on the diamond.

Men on bases advance one base when man at bat enters square marked ()ut on sacritice (marked by crossing oi bats). It one of the men X, at bat, succeeds in occupying the space marked Hit by pitched ball in line G, it is entitled to be placed at once on First base.

When any of the men at bat reach the row of squares 1.2 marked Ru1is",'tl1ey shall be removed from board and counted as runs earned. The team having most runs after nine innings of play or more if necessary is the Winner of the game (as in baseball).

It will be apparent from the foregoiin:` description of the game and its operation that the purpose of the men in the field is to preclude the men at bat from enteriner the award spaces and it is in order to enable the team in the iield to build up a proper defense for these spaces that` the playing.r spaces are of greater number longitudinally ol thc. board than trznisversely thereof. lt the playing zone were substantially square the team at bat would very easily advance a man to the award spaces before a proper defense could be built up.v while with the ar rangement .shown l have found that the chances for and against the making ol runs are about even. lt will be noted moreover that in order to score a run, the men at hat must travel to the extreme opposite end of the board and pass over first, .second and third base stations as in the game of baseVN ball. y

The team in the field has every opportunitxy to eiect an Out from the time the player leaves home plate At bat until the man is actually moved into the run spaces. The present game therefor very closely simulates thegame of baseball while affording ampie opportunity for the exercise of skill. thought and amusement. Moreover. as the game ol baseball is understood by both old and yonne', the game is well adapted to be played by persons of all ages.

I have shown in the accompanying draw- SII lua

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ing, the game in itsvpreterred forni, but inasmuch as the details may be changedvwith out departing from theinvention, the invention iste be understood as fully coininensurate with the appended claims, l

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1 Y j l. A baseball gaine board, a portionot the face of which is dividedV into squares ot alternately different colors there being 'nine rows of squares extending longitudinally of the board and upwardly ot nine rows 'oit squares extending transversely of the board, the transverse row of squares at one end ot the board being suitably marked to designate nien at bat and the transverse row at the opposite end of the board being suitably i marked to designate men at ield, legends for suitably marking transverse rows near the at field end of the board with designations appropriate to irst, second` and third base, award legends on certain squares and penalty legends on cert-ain othersquares, in combination with checks adapted to be placed on land inoved over the squares of the board. v 2. A'baseball gaine board, a portion ot the face of' which is divided into squares Aoi alternately different colors there beingnine rows of squares extending longitudinally of the boardV and upwardly of, nine rows of squares extending transversely of the board, a legend At bat adjacent` the transverse row ot squares at one side of the board,a legend Atfield adjacent the transverse row of squares at the opposite end of the board, legends Third base, Secondbasepw and First base, adjacent the second, third and fourth transverse rowsV otsquares fi-oni the At tield7 end I of the board, award legends on certain squares otl the boa-rd and penalty legends on certain other squares of' y the board, in combination*withv `checks adapted to be placed onv and moved over said squares.

3. 'A baseball game board, a portion of the lace ot' which is divided into squares oi alternately different colors there being nine rows of squares extending longitudinally of the board and upwardly of nine rows ot squares extending transversely of the board, the transverse row of squares at one end ot' the board being suitably marked to designate nien at hat and the transverse row at the opposite end of the board being suitably marked to designate inen at iield, legends for suitably inarking transverse rows near the at field end of the board with designations appropriate to first, second and third base, c said legends being duplicated at the opposite transverse sides of the board in reverse direction so that they can be respectively read from bot-h ends of the board, award legends on certain squares and duplicated on each square in reverse relation to be respectively] relation to be respectively read from the opposite ends of the board, in combination with checks adapted to be placed `on and i inoved over the'seotions ofthe board.

4t. Abaseball game board, a portion of the face of which is divided `into squares oil alternately different colors there being nine rows of squares extending longitudinally ,ot the board 'and twelve rows ot squares extending transversely ot the board, the t ansverse row of squares at one end of the board being suitably marked to designate nien at bat and the transverse row at the opposite c end' of theboard beingr suitably 'inarked to lesignate nien at held,- legends or suitably marking transverse rows near the at lield end of the board'with designations appropriate to iirst, second andthirdbase, award legends on certain squares,y and penalty legendson certain other squares, in coinbination with nine checks ot one color adapted to be played as inen at bat and ninechec rs ot' aditlerent color adapted to be played as men at field by positioning all of said checks onand nioving theni diagonally across `the the board and at least nine rows extending transversely ot the board', legends At field and Runs adjacent `the iirst transverse row of squares at one side of the board, a legend Third base7 adjacent the ,next transverse rew'ot squares, a legend Second base7 adjacent the next transverse row ol' squares, a legend First i base adjacent the next transverse row'ot' squares, award legends in thesquares of the next transverse row ot squares,`and ailegend At bat adjacent the r last transverse row ofsquares at the opposite side of the board,and penalty legends on certain squares of the board, in combination with checks adaptedto be placed on Vand moved over the squaresot the board.

6. A baseball game board, a portion of the tace ol which is divided into squaresV of alternately different colors, there being nine rows of squares extending longitudinally of the board and at least nine rows extending transversely of the board, legends At basel adjacent the next transverse row of squares, a legend First base adjacent the next transverse row of. squares, award legends to the squares ci" the next transverse rowof squares, said award legends being duplicated in reversed direction so as to be 'lill readable from opposite sides of the board, and a legend At bat adjacent the last transverse row of squares at the opposite side of the board, and penalty legends on certain squares, of the board, said penalty legends being duplicated in reversed direction so as to be readable from opposite sides of the board, in combination with checks adapted to be placed on and moved over the squares of the board.

7. A baseball game board, a portion of the face of which is divided into squares of alternately different colors, there being nine rows of squares extending longitudinally of the board and at least nlne rows extending transi-'ersely of the board, legends At field and Runs adjacent the first transverse row of squares at one side of the board, a legend Third base adjacent the next transverse row of squares, a legend Second base adjacent the next transverse row of squares, a legend First base adjacent the next transverse row of squares, award. legends in the squares of the next transverse row of squares, and a legend At bat adjacent the last transverse row of squares at the opposite side of the board, and penalty legends on certain squares of the board, a pictorial representation of a baseball on each award square and a pictorial representation of cross bats on each penalty square, in combination with checks adapted to be placed on and moved over the squares of the board.

8. A baseball game board, a portion of the face of which is divided into squares of alternately diiferent colors, there being nine rows of squares extending longitudinally of the board and at least nine rows extending transversely of the board, legends At field and Runs adjacent the first transverse row of squares at one side of the board, a legend Third base adjacent the next' transverse row of squares, a legend Second base adjacent the next transverse row of squares, a legend First base adjacent the next transverse row of squares, award legends in the squares of the next transverse row of squares, and a legend At bat adjacent the last transverse row of squares at the opposite side of the board, penalty legends on certain squares of' the board, strike legends on other square of the board, and ball legends on still other squares of the board, in combination with checks adapted to be placed on and moved over the squares of the board. i

9. A baseball game board, a portion of the face of which isl divided into squares ot' alternately diiierent colors, there being nine roivs of squares extending longitudinally of the board and at least nine rows extending transversely of the board, legends At field and Runs adjacent the iirsttransvcrse row of squares at one side of the board, a legend Third base adjacent the next transverse row of squares, ak legend Second base adjacent the next transverse row of squares. a legend First base adjacent the next transverse row of squares, award legends in the squares of the next transverse row of squares, and a legend At bat? adjacent the last transverse row of squares at the opposite side of the board, penaltylegends on certain squares ofthe board, strike legends on other s uares of the board, and ball legends on still other squares of the board, and a legend Play ball designating the row of squares next adjacent the At bat row of squares, and directions for playing the game positioned on opposite lateral margins of the board.l all of the legends and directions on the board, except At bat and At field, being duplicated in reverse relation to permit them to be read from vopposite sides of the board, in combination with checks adapted to be placed on and'inoved over the squares of the board. y

In testimony whereof I have signed the foregoing specification.

SAMUEL A.v H ELFGOTT. 

